


It's Called A Coffee Sleeve For A Reason

by ColorsofaYinYang



Series: Garreg Mach University [1]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - College/University, Dimitri Is Awkward, F/F, Flirting, Fluff, M/M, Slight spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-20
Updated: 2019-08-20
Packaged: 2020-09-18 20:09:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20318794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ColorsofaYinYang/pseuds/ColorsofaYinYang
Summary: "Good afternoon. How are you doing?" Dimitri asks.The guy flashes a charming smile at him and bats his eyes. "Much better now that I'm talking to you," he flirts shamelessly.





	It's Called A Coffee Sleeve For A Reason

**Author's Note:**

> I've played the Blue Lions route and am 1/4th of the way through Black Eagles. This game has already broken my heart.  
The only spoiler here is around the time of the ball I believe, and it's not a huge spoiler but it really reshapes the way you perceive Edelgard and Dimitri.

One of the few perks of being a morning person is that unlike other college students, Dimitri can actually take 7 o’clock classes without falling asleep or spacing out. Unfortunately, this leaves his afternoon free. And free time means falling into another one of his depressive spirals, which means a decline in his motivation, which means a dip in his grades, which means losing progress toward his degree…

  
So he gets a job. Edelgard, the owner, had admittedly done well in not showing bias toward him as her half-brother and had conducted the job interview in a brisk and professional manner. Dorothea had popped in afterwards and congratulated him, saying “It’s a good thing you’re taking the afternoon shift, since it’s not too busy. You don’t want to get too overwhelmed on your first day, after all!” She then insisted that she help with training him.

  
He shows up to the café at ten before two, right after finishing his final class for the day (a history lecture with Professor Hanneman). Right away he notices one thing Edelgard never mentioned: the quirkiness of his coworkers. His manager Hubert is an intimidating shadow of a man. Despite all the logical legal consequences Dimitri can’t help but feel like he’s going to kill him in his sleep. Hubert hovers over Dimitri’s shoulder, carefully watching as he tries to remember what Dorothea taught him the day before. An approving nod is all he gets before the man slinks away to reprimand one of his other coworkers.

  
The coworker in question is Ferdinand. “I am Ferdinand von Aegir,” he had introduced when they first met, and from what Dimitri can tell the man is a walking contradiction. He seems to have some sort of rivalry with Edelgard, seeing himself as better than her, yet he works for her. He also despises coffee with a passion; the irony there is obvious. Although, he does seem to be an expert in tea, as he’s put in charge of basically all the tea-related drinks the café serves. Hubert and him don’t seem to get along very well.

  
Caspar is the next coworker he meets, and immediately he’s overwhelmed with the other boy’s energy. He seems a bit impulsive and easily distracted, shirking his work to wake a sleeping boy in the corner and chastising him for not sticking to a normal sleep schedule. He makes a big deal out of it until Hubert comes and intimidates him into getting back to work, but as soon as the green haired boy dozes off again he repeats the whole cycle once more.

  
Petra is a sweet and well-intentioned young woman who seems to put her all into everything she does. Nevertheless, she’s an international student, which means she sometimes has trouble understanding customer orders and the names of different drinks. “What is a… mach-chia-toe?” Dimitri doesn’t mind helping her, although sometimes he gets confused as well and has to ask Hubert for help.

  
Finally, Ignatz is the art guy. He’s quiet and keeps to himself for the most part, but Dimitri can’t help but watch as he creates designs in the lattes and cappuccinos people order. It seems like a passion of his, and despite his lack of knowledge in basically everything (Caspar had whispered that he probably knew more than Ignatz despite being the newbie) his talent for art can’t be denied.

  
Halfway through the shift, as the stream of customers begins to die down, he gets switched to cashier. Caspar’s on break, and Petra just finished her shift and has left for one of her classes. He’s studying one of the tiny eagle statues on the counter when the door bell jingles and two people enter.

  
The girl has long pink hair in two pigtails and is humming to herself, but his gaze is almost immediately drawn to the boy. He’s undeniably attractive, golden skin and dark chocolate hair, with a small elegant braid hanging to the side. He strolls up and props his elbow up on the counter casually.

  
“Good afternoon. How are you doing?” Dimitri says, resorting to his default greeting after his mind draws a blank.

  
The guy flashes a charming smile at him and bats his eyes. “Much better now that I’m talking to you,” he flirts shamelessly. Dimitri can feel his face turning red as he just stands there in shock. The pink haired girl elbows her friend in the ribs.

  
“Ow, Hilda!”

  
“You killed him!” She turns to Dimitri, rolling her eyes. “Just ignore him, he’s being an idiot. A medium chai latte for me, please.” She slaps a ten on the counter. He counts out the change and writes her name on the cup, passing on the order to Ferdinand in the back and trying desperately not to look at the gorgeous stranger.

  
Hilda goes to sit down, but Mr. Charming stays where he is, leisurely perusing the menu. Dimitri stands there uncomfortably, nervously playing with the hem of his apron.

  
After what seems like ten agonizing minutes of silence (although it’s probably only like two), the brunette speaks up. “I’ll have a small espresso. Decaf.” He fixes his gaze on Dimitri, who occupies himself with the cash register.

  
“Alright. Can I get a name for that?”

  
“It’s Claude.” He smiles and Dimitri shakily writes the name on a cup. He can feel the other’s eyes lingering on his name tag. “Nice to meet you… Dimitri.”

  
“Nice to meet you too,” he squeaks out. Claude chuckles a little and places a ten on the counter. Dimitri double checks he’s giving the right amount of change before offering it and the receipt. The coins go into Claude’s pocket, but the five dollar bill is placed very deliberately into the tips jar.

  
“I’ll be sitting over there,” Claude gestures to where Hilda is. “There’s no one else around… you should come and chat.”

  
“I-I’ll have to ask my manager,” Dimitri blurts.

  
Claude huffs a laugh. “Then I’ll be crossing my fingers that he says yes. After all, I’d like to get to know you a little better.” He turns to head to the table, and Dimitri ignores the flush on his face in favor of getting the drink started.

  
Ignatz finishes the chai latte and hands it over to Hilda. They chat for a bit as Dimitri’s measuring out the beans and by the time he’s started brewing he turns to catch a glimpse of her pink hair as she rushes out the door, drink in hand. Claude’s still sitting at the table by himself, so he’s not quite sure what happened.

  
Caspar comes back just as Dimitri’s asking for his break, so Hubert gives his approval. He takes the finished cappuccino and slips a coffee sleeve onto it before going to deliver it.

  
“Thank you,” Claude says sincerely as he places the cup on the table.

  
“You’re welcome?” Dimitri responds, unsure of whether to stay or not. He stands there feeling lost and awkward until Claude pulls out a chair for him, gesturing for him to sit.

  
A moment of silence passes between the two of them: Dimitri, fidgeting and quiet in his seat, and Claude, sipping his drink while eyeing him up. Dimitri’s just about worked up the courage to ask if Claude’s just playing a prank on him when the other boy speaks.

  
“Hey-“ Dimitri immediately tenses up. “Relax.” Claude smiles at him, less sultry and more kind. “I’d like to apologize. Usually I’m not that forward, but I saw you and boom,” he makes an explosion with his hands, “everything immediately left my brain.”

  
Dimitri really has nothing in response to that, except blink and wonder if he’s dreaming. Once Claude sees he’s not going to say anything, he continues. “I wasn’t kidding, though. I really would like to get to get to know you better. That is, if you’re interested.” He waits patiently for a response.

  
After a moment, Dimitri takes a slow breath and exhales. “I would be… amenable to that.” Claude claps his hands together and grins.

  
“Great! We’ll start out with one I’m sure you’re tired of hearing already.” He leans back in his chair slightly, lacing his fingers together on the table. “What’re you majoring in?”

  
Oh, he can answer this one. “Right now I’m in informatics, but I’m actually planning to go to law school.” Claude raises one perfect eyebrow.

  
“Ooh, fancy.”

  
“And how about you?” Dimitri asks, more out of a sense of politeness than anything.

  
“Me? I’m trying to get into the chemical engineering department. Taking classes that’ll max out my chances and all that jazz.” The bell on the door jingles as Edelgard and Dorothea enter, hand in hand.

  
Edelgard immediately spots the two of them and strides over, giving Claude a polite nod before turning to him. “Dimitri. How was your first day?”

  
“Not bad, thank you.” His brow furrows. “Is it closing time already? I didn’t realize, I’ll help-“ he makes to get up but Dorothea drapes herself over his back, keeping him seated.

  
“No, no, no, you stay there,” she says. “I want to hear aaaa~ll about it. And who is your friend here?” She smiles curiously in Claude’s direction.

  
“Claude,” Edelgard says. “We have a class together. Claude, this is Dimitri, my half-brother.”

  
Claude’s eyes widen slightly in realization, and he snaps his fingers. “Ah, I knew you looked somewhat familiar. You guys have the same serious face.” At the frowns the two of them shoot him he laughs. “Yeah, that one!”

  
Dorothea laughs too, then extends her hand. “Well, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Dorothea.”

  
“You must be Edelgard’s girlfriend, right?” Claude shakes it. “The pleasure is all mine. If you guys are closing shop I’d better get going, then.” He stands, stretches, and Dimitri tries in vain not to stare. Their eyes meet for a brief moment before the corner of Claude’ mouth twitches upward. “Oh, right, here.” He pulls out a pen and slides the coffee sleeve off the cup, scribbling a name and phone number in large, looping font. “Hold out your hand?”

  
Dimitri does as instructed and watches wide-eyed as Claude grasps his hand and slips the sleeve around his extended wrist. “So you don’t lose it,” Claude murmurs. Then he lifts their linked hands and gently places a kiss to Dimitri’s knuckles. “Call me, alright?”

  
He stands there, dazed, until Dorothea nudges him with her elbow. “Uh, yeah. Right. I-I’ll do that.” Claude smiles and squeezes his hand once before picking up his drink and strolling out of the café.

  
Edelgard sighs and rolls her eyes, amused. “That Claude, always a charmer.”

**Author's Note:**

> Will probably make this a series, maybe part 2 from Claude's POV, and have some other short fics about other relationships (possibly Sylvain and Felix?) in this universe.


End file.
